You can take the following test to see whether or not you or your child meet the criteria for a nightmare or sleep disturbance disorder. For each of the following questions, answer with a simple yes or no answer:

1. Disturbing dreams occur at least once a week.

2. I often wake up because of bad dreams.

3. As I fall asleep, I feel like I am falling or paralyzed.

4. My nightmares focus around stress from relationships or work.

5. I get anxious before bedtime because I worry about nightmares.

6. I experience the same terrible nightmare repeatedly.

7. I’m able to recall the fear during bad dreams but not the specific details.

8. In addition to anxiety, I also experience anger or shame during nightmares.

9. When I’m able to remember a bad dream, I tend to dwell on it the next day.

10. My spouse/partner tells me about night terrors that I don’t remember.

A “yes” response to numbers 3, 4, or 10 is normal and does not indicate a problem with nightmares. A “yes” response to the other questions could be signs of a nightmare disorder, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.